ORLANDO, FLA. -- For two of the game's most recognizable, yet distinctly different, personalities, tonight's NBA Finals Game 5 at Amway Arena could carry the same meaning.

A win by the Los Angeles Lakers would be the fourth NBA title for Kobe Bryant. It would be the 10th for Coach Phil Jackson.

John Raoux / The Associated PressKobe Bryant is one win from his first title sans Shaquille O'Neal.

As the Lakers, possessing a 3-1 edge over the Orlando Magic in the best-of-seven series, stand on the precipice of their 15th championship, Bryant isn't allowing himself to look past the final buzzer and compare his legacy to Michael Jordan's (six championships) or Bill Russell's (11).

"I'm just trying to get this damned fourth one," Bryant said Saturday, allowing a rare smile to cross his face.

A year ago, Bryant walked off the floor of Boston's TD Banknorth Garden amid a shower of green and white confetti, an embarrassing 131-92 Game 6 loss to the Celtics sending Bryant and his team back to Los Angeles still searching for a post-Shaquille O'Neal championship.

There has been a drive all season, since the Lakers got off to a 31-6 regular-season start, to erase the bitterness of last year's Finals defeat, led by Bryant's unspoken desire to win a championship after seeing the Lakers touch bottom after O'Neal's trade to Miami.

"Kobe doesn't have to say anything," Lakers forward Lamar Odom said. "He shows it through his work ethic, the way he practices and the way he competes every given night. That's why he's the best. I think we know. We understand, especially the guys like myself who have been with him for the last couple of years now.

"Not making the playoffs, to being up 3-1 (in the 2006 conference first round before losing to Phoenix in seven games) to playing the same team the next year and getting blown out (Suns win 4-1) to making it to the championship round last year. We understand."

Bryant has been all business this postseason, allowing glimpses of levity, but staying focused on the task as he was Saturday. He has said that ultimately his greatness will be judged not by his brilliance on the court but by the number of rings he accumulates.

"That's the most important: the championships," he said. "It's a tough thing to do in team sports, to have multiple championships. I mean, it's hard. So I think that's the first thing that we remember, because it's so difficult to do.

"And I think this one is special because you rarely have the opportunity to get back up to the mountain twice in a career. You have your first run and then you hit rock bottom and then you've got to build back up and get back to the top again. On an individual level, you feel very good about it because the contributions you make as an individual for the betterment of the group helps you win that championship. Hopefully we have that feeling again."

With a win, Jackson can surpass late Boston legend Red Auerbach for the most coaching championships, but Saturday he didn't want to look ahead to the possibility of No. 10.

"They say it takes four games to win," said Jackson, "and I just don't want to even talk about anything like that until it's a done deed because it's such a difficult thing to do.

"We've had to win some games in a very impossible fashion against this team and found a way to do it in a couple of games. But we know there's just a trifle of changes between winning and losing in these series games. With that kind of effort in mind, it's hard for me to think past the game."

The Magic, of course, will have something to say about the ultimate outcome.

Twice in this series it has pushed the Lakers to overtime, once in Game 2 when it had a chance to win on a Courtney Lee layup, the other in Game 4 when Orlando frittered away a 12-point halftime lead and missed two free throws with 11.1 seconds remaining in regulation.

"We felt like we had the layup in Game 2 that could have won it, and literally handed them Game 4," Magic forward Rashard Lewis said. "It could have easily been the other way around. I'm frustrated. We're one layup and one free throw away from the series being tied or being up in the series.

"That gives us confidence knowing we can beat this team. They're beatable. We've just got to cut down on the little mistakes. .¤.¤. 20 turnovers, 17 turnovers. .¤.¤. and we're still right there to win the game. A free throw away. A layup away. It lets us know we do have a good team. We can beat them."

Jimmy Smith can be reached at jsmith@timespicayune.com or 504.826.3814.
